Bleeding Red
by HukuSiStar
Summary: Does the attic hold the answer to the age long question? AU.
1. Chapter 1

**Edit (5-26-13): Yay! I'm back! As in, back to edit this story so I can work on the next installment. I've deleted the crazy, mostly stupid notes, and have gone through this story-painfully-to edit over some of the not so great things. So far, I've changed very little in the story, but if I do, the author's note will tell you. **

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><p>Expect the unexpected. That's what.<p>

Gabriel Duncan had just turned thirteen years old, and despite being a teenager, he was still the same old Gabe. He was still five foot three inches, he still had the same color eyes (brown) and the same color hair, which was oddly enough, different from the rest of his family. Sometimes, it made him wonder, because he wasn't stupid, no matter what people said. But he'd always brush it off and continue with life. He still lived in the same house he had all his life, with the same people (not including Charlie) and the same basic furniture.

He was a boy (or now-a-days man) who, like all other men, feared the thought and idea of change. Just like when he started school, when all he wanted to do was stay at home with mommy. Just like when Charlie was born, and he wanted so desperately to be the youngest child again. Just like now, the last days of summer, when he was about to enter a new school year, with new standards, ways, and people. All he wanted to do was turn around and run backwards in time to keep things like they were. But that's not the way things worked.

Now that he was thirteen, he was suppose to be able to do cool things with his friends, like go see PG-13 movies without having to lie to the nice lady who was at the ticket counter. Now that he was thirteen, he was suppose to slap pretty girls asses when they came around the corner. Now that he was thirteen, he was suppose to be free from everything. But he wasn't. Life could be a real asshole every now and again. But for Gabriel Duncan, life was a constant asshole.

Maybe, just maybe, that's why when he went into the attic looking at his old memories and toys and life before life got in the way, he was terrified. Terrified he had finally solved the answer to his age long question.

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><p><em>Earlier that day...<em>

The sound of a buzzing alarm scared the crap out of him. He wasn't use to it. There he was, a new man to the world, and he was scared by a little alarm. It couldn't even kill him. It couldn't explode. It couldn't implode either. It was just a child's alarm. And yes, he was a man, the Jewish community even recognized it as so. Just, he wasn't Jewish.

As he reached for the source of the noise, he knew that the moment he turned off that alarm, he would fall right back to sleep. Which didn't bother him so much, not as much as the fact that when he didn't wake up, someone- usually Charlie-would come into his room and force him to get up. Then he put on some pants and go downstairs for breakfast, before sneaking back up to fall asleep in his nice, soft bed. It didn't help that after your alarm rings your bed seems so much more comfy.

But that morning, nobody came to get him. He waited for Charlie to come padding in his room, or for Teddy to kick down his door and demand he get up, but nothing came. Not a scrape or a knock or anything. He tried to listen for noises indicating something was alive, and nothing. That worried him. He bounded down the stairs, practically falling down them, before coming to a halt and realizing where everyone was. "Dammit." He seethed.

The Duncan family, minus Gabe, was a church. Usually the brown haired part of the family hated going to church, which was one of the good things about Charlie. But ever since he had been going, Gabe had had his eye one on of the newer member of the church, who seemed to have as much fun as him. They had talked a few times, and he found out her name was Lucy. Really, it wasn't much to go on, considering he'd only seen her a couple Sundays, and he wasn't really looking for anything but to talk to her. Now, though, in the summer, he wasn't forced to go to church, and so far he had missed two weeks in a row. It was a good thing school started on Tuesday, because that meant he was woken up for church, and then he could see Lucy.

Since no one was home, he didn't see the need to put some pants on. He simply walked into the kitchen, grabbed a bowl, the milk, and some cereal, and enjoyed his quiet morning. That was a new thing about him. He liked quiet mornings now, more than the loud ones. Everyone always said he would mellow with age, and he didn't quite believe it.

The attic was one place he was never, under any circumstances, allowed to go. Did that stop him? No. Sometimes, he would quietly sneak up there, and just sit, looking through the old memories before any kids were born. Then PJ who had a whole floatilla. Maybe because he was the oldest. Anyway it was a monument to horders everywhere. Then there was Teddy. Not as much junk. Still, a steamboat of things were up there. Five steamboats. There was more stuff on them than anyone else, even though he hadn't looked at his own boxes. Today, he would look at his.

Getting up to the attic was easy, just a matter of pulling himself up. He climbed to the rafters, and lower his box down after locating it. It wasn't a very large box, but he still had countless memories in there. Pictures from every birthday he had ever had. He looked so cute the first three years, cake all over his, face. At age four, more cake made it on the floor instead of his mouth, after he threw a fit. At age five, he was racing down the sidewalk on his new bike, when he decided to see if he could jump a car; he couldn't. His shoulder had to have five stitches, but he was fine. Age six, was the first birthday he had friends over, with a pool and a slide. Age seven, eight, and nine, he was a in trouble, so he was in his room while the party went on without him. Age ten, and his cake was ruined with Charlie touching it. At eleven, he had his friends over for the night. At twelve, he had his party at Laser Quest. Thirteen years old, and not happy, he sat in his room all night, and for the next three days. Gabe smiled at the memories.

A few old toys sat in the box, dusty, but still useful. An old rattle that no longer made any sound. A plastic hay bail that was dirty and colored on. A cow that had it's legs bitten off. Mr. Train, wanted by every three year old in Colorado, was a train with a face and a remote control. It could zip downstairs, push open doors that were slightly a jar, and run on carpet.

At the bottom of the box laid a black folder. A CD with the title 'Gabriel's Favorite Music' was on top of it. He took out the CD, and placed it near the exit. Then he took out the folder and leafed through it, reading only the ones he saw important out loud. "Birth Certificate, Hospital Rules, Adoption Papers, Book of Names... Wait, what the hell?" Slowly he went back to the Adoption Paper, his eyes wide with disbelief. "No. That can't be true." But as he read further, Amy and Bob Duncan were not his biological parents. They had adopted him on December 1, from Manitou Springs.

He shivered at the thought of not being who he was and growing up where he had and being someone else. He quickly grabbed his birth certificate, nearly ripping it in the process, and checked it. His real name was Gabriel Jesse Santiago. He was born on November 23, 1999. His mother's name was Courtney Jane Santiago. She was born June 3, 1982. Quickly he did some mental math, something he hated. 30. His mother was 30 years old. He looked at his father. Unknown. He didn't have a father.

What was he talking about? Of course he had a father. And a mother. And a big brother, sister, and a little sister. He wondered if they had known about him. And if they did? No, he didn't care. Obviously that didn't change anything. But a small voice in the back of his head would always from now on, claim, 'They aren't your real parents, Gabe. Your real parents didn't love you. Your real parents gave you away.'

From downstairs he hear the door opening, and his mother calling, "Gabriel, get up!" That scared him too. One second, it's quiet and he's contemplating whether or not this is some kind of sick joke, and the next, he's getting a jury summons.

Gabe folded his birth certificate in fours and grabbed the CD, before practically jumping down the shaft to the attic. He closed it, hid the items he cared for, and walked into his bedroom, closing the door with just seconds to spare before his mother came up to his room. 'That was extremely close. Too close. I have to watch time. I have to be careful. God, is everything in life this heart-racing? Then boring? Wait, stop, get your thoughts together. Okay, so you're an adopted child who had no idea about it. Your life is turned upside down. God, it sounds like a TV show commercial on USA. Where do you go from here, Gabe?'

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><p><strong>God, I cringe as I read this. <strong>


	2. Chapter 2

**Edit (5-26-13): So here we are again. Was I always this embarrassing? I hope not. Why did I used to say 'yay' so much?**

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><p>Night was dark in the Colorado area. The street lights emanated just enough to give each house an eerie 'My Bloody Valentine' mixed with chainsaw massacre man. The streets were quiet, and the night was windless which made things even more creepy. It was like getting ready to watch a movie where things pop up out of nowhere with a bloody ski mask on, chainsaw in hand, and head straight to a house that looks just like yours. Where you look around, making sure nothing was there. Then you turn the sound up to where your satisfied. Out of nowhere, something taps on your window, and the popcorn flies out of your hands, all over the floor. Where you get up and tiptoe to a different window and look out to see nothing. Where you go outside and it's just your neighbor asking for a his spare house key, in which you hand it over and tell him a good night. Where you go back and sit down, and everything seems a lot less creepy, so you get back to watching the movie, and just when you seem the most comfortable, the chainsaw man pops out from behind your couch and turns you into human sushi and people jerky. Unless you live in an apartment. Then things are different, the walls are paper thin, and the old lady next door yells at you every time you bring someone home with you. But that's not what this is about. Gabriel Duncan was out of bed late at night, which would be extremely uncalled for, had it not been for a good reason. And good reason it was. Wouldn't you like to get to know your mother? Your biological mother?<p>

He was tip-toeing down the hallway, trying to get to Teddy without waking anybody else up. It's not that he couldn't trust them, but somehow, he had always felt closest to-and he would kill you and deny it if anyone ever spoke it-Teddy. Maybe it was the age thing, the 'You're-smarter-than-me-so-I-look-up-to-you' thing, or the girl thing. Or maybe it was all three together pushed to their greatest potential. Yeah, that was probably it. Teddy was a good person, who could keep a secret like this one. She was also a bit sneaker than PJ, and could lie better too. And she had always been there for him. Not like PJ hadn't, but somehow, they weren't as connected as people thought. And Teddy could give him actual girl advice. Which he wouldn't take anyway.

Somehow, he got to her before anyone caught him, a minor accomplishment at the moment. He let himself into her room without waking her, and looked around. Small old everything, and bed, a desk, meaningless drawing that meant something in Teddy's brain. But to Gabe, it all seemed very different. He walked over to the bed and shook her a few times to get her up. As expected, she jumped half a foot, and put her hands out as if to karate chop Gabe. "It's only me, Teddy."

She looked around, as if not believing him, before replying to his statement, "If you got scared and need somewhere to sleep, you can't sleep here. It's not my fault you stay up late and watch those really stupid scary movies. Go sleep with Mom and Dad again." She whispered in a half-hearted voice, before she collapsed back on her pillow and pulled the comforter up to her nose. She huffed, and she got comfortable in less then the time it took Gabe to realize what she had said.

"Aw man, Mom and Dad told you about that? It's didn't happen like that anyway. But that's not why I'm here. This is for a total different reason, and you have to promise to never, under any circumstances, tell anyone, even if you are being tortured, what I am about to speak to you. Show you really." He finished, slipping his hand in his pocket to finger what it held. To bed tonight, he wore jeans, just so he wouldn't have to carry anything in his hand, in case someone came out of their rooms, and to avoid dropping and loud noises. It was precious all right. A secret, and a mystery, wrapped together as one and served with that people jerky.

"Not you've got me listening." she claimed, instantly shooting up in bed. Teddy rolled her eyes as Gabe check the room with simple turns of his head; left, right, left again, and then lingering eyes on a poster. He gripped the paper, and gave it to Teddy, watching as she unfolded the fourths, as she gave him a questioning look when she read the fine bold print, and as a surprised look as she read the even finer, not bold print. "You're not you? Or you are, because you are who your are, but still, you're not you. You're not my brother, I don't have a younger brother. Who is this Courtney Jane Santiago, anyway?" she finally ended, and Gabe looked away embarrassed.

"I think that she is my biological mother. Actually I know she is. That's why I came to you. I can trust you to keep a secret, and I can trust that you'll help me, right?" he asked, as Teddy was apparently still tilted her head up towards him.

"Do Mom and Dad know?" she asked.

"Hm, I don't know, do Mom and Dad know that I was adopted? I don't think so, let's ask. Hey Mom, Dad, did you know I was adopted? You didn't? You just found me in the house one day, and raised me as your own, wow that's and interesting story, do tell me more." Gabriel replied, in the most sarcasm-laced voice he could think of at the moment. In fact, he was going to continue, but Teddy interrupted him.

"No, I mean, do they know that YOU know?" Teddy clarified.

Gabe looked away, focusing on the post from before, then he looked back at her. "I love them, you know. At least, I thought I did. They love me, even though I am not really theirs. Maybe. They raised me, and the bought me things, and then I am going to tell them that I know their little secret and ruin things for them. They obviously didn't tell me or you or anyone for a reason, right?" he said with more confidence in his voice finishing, that when he started. They two stared at each other for a long time, just looking at the person they thought they knew. The room was silent. The world was silent.

Ten, maybe twenty minutes later, to break the ice and the tension, Gabe asked, "So, are you going to help me or what?"

Teddy seem to think about it, and a few seconds later, replied, "Of course. Just to find your mom, right?"

"Yeah."

"Okay then, I'm in."

"Thanks Teddy. I owe you like four."

Teddy slipped back into her comforter, and her sheet, and fluffed up her pillow, as Gabe turned to go. Then, he stopped. "What's up?"

"When I found the birth certificate, I also found something else. It's a CD titled Gabriel's Favorite Music, but I don't recognize the handwriting. Do you think it could be Courtney's?" Gabe asked before turning over the CD to Teddy. She studied the messy scribbled writing for a long time, then sighed.

"It's a possibility, but look at this with a police face. Handwriting on file, that's not what they do. And besides, even if it's hers, she could have changed styles a long time ago, and we're back to square one. I don't wanna depress you, but that's the way it goes. Better if we leave conjecture at the table and go for a walk." She stated and she handed back the CD. "Have you listened to the music on it?"

Gabriel looked at the CD. "Yeah, but it's just a bunch of country music. I don't even like country music." He said, giving up with a disappointed sigh.

"Get some sleep, and we'll talk next weekend when school is out. Then we can do some real digging, okay?" Teddy smiled at her little brother, as he smiled back, then turned around and trudged back up the stairs, wickedly tired. He couldn't wait to get into his bed a fall a victim of his own creation, before he would have to wake up and a new school year. Maybe school just wasn't his thing. That was the last thought he had as slumber took over him and granted him sleep.

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><p>For Gabe, morning came way to early for him. It seemed like he had just set his head on his pillow and now he had to get up. It was funny because his alarm was going off, and there was movement downstairs, which he could hear, but he had made no move to get up. And so, alarm clock screaming, Charlie came into his bedroom screaming for him to get up. She stood next to his bed, shaking him as violently as she could, to where he wanted it to stop. He got up. After Charlie left, Gabe put on a brand new shirt, and pulled his shoes on. Then, he stuck the laces in his shoes, grabbed his backpack, and went downstairs to get something in his stomach. It was interesting to see the people who raised him, after he found out that they weren't his parents. It's like he saw them in a new, golden light, and he actually behaved. Sure, it was a lot to grasp at the moment, but if anyone could do it, it was Gabriel Duncan.<p>

"Gabe, hurry up and get over here, so you can eat, and we can leave. We don't have all day, you know." His mom-but know as Amy now, in his head-called to him as he got down the very last stair. He set his backpack by the door, and walked hurriedly to the kitchen to secure his bowl, spoon, cereal, and the milk. He poured in the contents of a box and a carton, and finished in record time. Then, after putting everything in the sink the milk back in the fridge, and the cereal box back in the cupboard, he was shoved out of the kitchen by Amy. He grabbed his backpack. When the door opened, he walked outside and closed the door behind him.

School was interesting, to say the least. It started with an introduction from the principal, who was dressed in a suit and tie, and a little too cheery. When Gabe made a soft joke to the people around him, which included girls that didn't know him, lots of them who overheard laughed. Gabe wasn't use to that. Then first period started, which was math, with Mr. Wilcox. He was, in short, a very boring man, with a very boring hair cut, and a very boring tie. It was a little awkward because he knew no one in the class well, but struck up a conversation with the kid next to him. Then came second period History, which was taught by Mr. Reynolds, and very funny man, who could be very serious at times. Besides that, and the fact that one girl was stalking him, he forgot most things about his first day. Third, fourth, and fifth periods were accompanied by the people he knew as they were PE, Elective, which for this semester was Art, and Lunch. Sixth period was full of Science, and sciencey stuff that had Gabe amazed. At one point, he wished it would never end, something that was new about him as well. Suddenly school didn't seem so bad after all. His teachers were cool(Except for Mr. Wilcox) and they didn't make him copy down letters.

Seventh period came tugging along strong and steady, and Mrs. Stevenson came with it. She was a very fragile looking woman, but she didn't act like it at all. She wouldn't back down from people, yet looked like she could take some serious damage if anyone even pushed her down. Gabe was overall disappointed when he was given an assignment in English, but it didn't turn out so bad when he had to talk to his neighbor that sat behind him. And it just so happened to be his stalker.

"Ah, it's you again." He said when he turned around to assess her. She was just about as tall as him, with brown hair that was wavy, and continued down to her mid-back. She was wearing some sort of girly shirt, and she smell like jasmine and peaches. It was the weirdest combo Gabe had ever smelled, but there was something to it that made him smirk.

"I could say the same about you. So why are you stalking me?" She asked, all without looking up from he paper.

Gabe waited for her to look up, waited for a sign she cared. But apparently, she didn't. "I'm not stalking you. Just going to class. I'm Gabriel, by the way. Everyone calls me Gabe though." He replied, holding out his hand. When she continued to write, he dropped it, and turned around to restart on his page. But she beat him to the punch.

"I'm Jayme." she stated, as soon as he picked up his pencil and touched the paper with led. "But it's not spelled J-a-m-i-e, Jamie. It's spelled J-a-y-m-e, Jamie. Confusing huh? But my parents wanted an original name... and now I'm rambling and you think this is stupid, right?" Jayme asked when he turn back around.

"Uh, no, not really. I don't really have anyone to talk to because I'm in the advanced classes and all of the people I know are in, well, not these classes." Gabe reminisced.

"Yeah. I know Samuel, he was in Science. And I know Katelin. She was in Math and History, but nothing else. And that's about it." Jayme stated, putting he pencil down and focusing more on him than anyone or anything else. She didn't seem to notice that Gabriel did notice.

"Well at least you know someone. Whereas, I know you and only you." He commented.

"I'm honored to be your first friend."

"Your my friend now?"

"Well I thought you'd need one, seeing as you have no one."

"I have someone. I talked to him this morning."

"Oh yeah?"

"Yeah."

"What was his name?"

Suddenly, he faltered. Their banter was disrupted by his sudden lack of names and faces, but it had been something natural. Almost as if they were meant to bicker. "Well. I'm not sure of his name, but I did talk to him. In Math this morning."

"Did you now? She just jumped right back in.

"Yes."

"Oh really. That's interesting."Around them, the constant buzz of quiet speech hummed. It was subtle; you could hear voices, all over the room, but you could never make out what they were saying. For the first time, Gabe looked around the classroom. Here and there, you could see frogs, and dogs, posters of concerts that you would never expect someone like Mrs. Stevenson to have gone to. The flag was in the front of the room, and so were the two white boards; Gabe and Jayme in the back.

"Whatcha looking at there?"

"The room."

"Nice, huh?"

"Yeah. It's nice."

"Hey guys?" A guy, with glasses and a brown Beiber hair cut, who was sitting in the next row to the right, motioned to them. He was wearing a purple undershirt, and flannel plaid. His jeans were black, and his shoes were white. He dressed cool, but seemed nerdy in his own way. "I'm Ryan. What did you put for number 17?"

"I'm Jayme. That's Gabe." she said grinning. "When asked, 'What my problem is,' I reply 'Who do you work for?' What did you put?"

"When asked 'Have you broken the law,' I reply 'What the hell?'" Ryan, who pushed his glasses up to his nose, told her. He looked at her, then turned back to look at Gabe. "What did you put?"

Gabe looked at his paper, and followed the numbers down. "Oh, When asked 'Is this your bed?' I reply 'Why do you want to know?'" At that Ryan broke out laughing. However, Jayme just shook her head and sighed.

"So, you guys been friends long?" Ryan asked. Genuine curiosity glazed over him, as he worked on his paper and talked at the same time.

"Just now." Gabriel replied, checking back at Jayme for moral support. She just went back to her paper.

"Oh that's cool." Ryan said, finishing the front side, moving onto the back.

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><p>When Gabe got home that day, Bob was on the couch watching television. He didn't seem to notice Gabe come in, so he headed straight for his bedroom. He didn't stop and go into the kitchen for a snack or something to eat because the truth was school food wasn't that bad. In fact, it was enjoyable. He didn't stop and go to the bathroom because he went at school, and they looked really good. He didn't stop and go to see Teddy or Charlie because the truth was, Teddy was out and Charlie was asleep. He just scurried up to his room and shut the door.<p>

He hadn't expected homework, but he did it anyway, finishing up a quarter to four. By then Charlie was awake, Bob was out, and Amy was busy with mom stuff, so Gabe had the nerve to turn on the radio and let the music blare. He laid back on his bed, and thought about today. About stupid PE clothes and Jayme and Ryan... the he closed his eyes and drifted off, unaware of how tired he really was, how draining the day had been.

Teddy had snuck up to Gabe's room at nine thirty-five, twenty minutes after she had arrived home. He was asleep, in new school clothes and shoes, and he had his stuff sprawled out on his desk, with a little light emanating from it. The music he was playing was loud, and set on staying loud, until Teddy turned it off. She shook him till he was awake enough to comprehend what she was about to say. "I looked up your mom."

"What?" Gabriel shot out of bed. "Where? Why? How?"

"Okay, Alexa Vega, calm down.

"Who?"

"How do you not know Alexa Vega? You know what, never mind. We're here to talk about Courtney. Your mom."

"What about her?"

"A lot of things. She lives here in Colorado. She lives in a nice house, and she is married, and had three kids."

"Does she still have three kids?"

"She has two kids with her right now, Emily, age 6, and David age 4. Married to a Calvin Wicorsun, age 34. He's an accountant. She is a stay at home mom."

"Where did you learn all this?"

"Facebook."

Gabe paused. "Are you sure it's her?"

"Pretty sure."

"Okay."

"Okay what?" Teddy looked at him, puzzled by his lack of interest. Just yesterday, he had wanted her help in finding this woman, and now he simply didn't seem to care.

"Okay you can go back to bed. Look, obviously she didn't want me. I don't know why, but I couldn't care less right now. Just go away, and take all thoughts of Courtney with you." Gabe wanted to shout, but he keep his voice down, knowing that Bob and Amy were close by. He took a deep breath and plopped back down on his pillow, listening as Teddy switched off the light, and made her way out of the room, and down the hall. Gabe sighed and shut his eyes, sleep coming to him, easily filled with that 'Voice'. 'Your mother didn't want you. Your own mother thought that you were weird, and she didn't want you. She didn't want you. Nobody wants you.'

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><p><strong>Yay, all done. So did you like it? Review it! Don't like it? Review it anyway! <strong>


	3. Chapter 3

**Edit (5-26-13): And it continues. Still minor edits and continuation fixes.**

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><p>No one understands.<p>

Of course no one understands, this is seventh grade, who would understand what it's like to grow up somewhere, with people you think your related to, to live with them, and then find out that they had been lying to you? To find out that your real mother, the one who gave birth to you, didn't want you particularly, but decided to keep her other two children, and your father, your real father was missing in action. To pretend that life was great in front of everyone, everywhere, when really, it was falling to pieces right in front of you, and there was not a thing you could do to react. Hell was coming to eat you, and you couldn't even fight against it. No one else understands this much like Gabriel Duncan.

His life was unsteady at this point, as most teenager's are, but in a different way. Kids Gabe's age were worried about popularity, and pimples, boys or girls, and their love life. How much skin they could show off without getting caught, how many texts they could send during class without getting their cell phone taken away. How loud they could blast their music, and how far from home they could get. They worried about their television shows. Smarter kids, the ones Gabe were stuck with in class, focused on politics and grades, earning money, and college. They worried about homework and work at home, requirements for graduation, and recessions. They dreamed of becoming doctors and computer graphics designers, and teachers, and cops. They didn't wonder how far they could slip by, they wonder how far they could get. How high they could reach and how many clouds they could capture. They didn't care about who got together with who, and when they did get together with people, they just did it, no questions asked. There was no sex, or drugs, smoking or drinking in Gabe's life. He wasn't beaten daily, and Amy and Bob were raising him fine. He didn't fight with his sisters; he enjoyed having them around really. He wasn't being bullied at school, and he wasn't being a bully either. His grades weren't slipping, but they weren't improving either. Maybe he'd be late to class once or twice, but he'd still be in the room when the bell rang, just not his seat.

If he had shown more signs, that he was drinking or doing drugs, or cutting himself, or trying to kill someone, maybe he'd be sent to a counselor. After he assured the man that Gabe Duncan was still the same old Gabe Duncan he had always been, he would slink back to class and curse his teacher for ratting him out. But they would only be trying to help. And life would go back to normal. Same routine in the morning, same route to all his classes, same response when asked a question, same things to do when he came home. Same everything. Same. Same. Same.

If it was anyone else in the entire world, anyone at all, they would have gone completely insane by now. If it was anyone else in the world, they would be running up and down the hallways screaming their guts out, clutching their backpack for dear life, and climbing the fence to be set free. But not Gabe. He was cool, calm, and collect. He didn't run, except at PE, he didn't scream at all, an he only hung onto his belongings when he need to, and never, ever, for dear life. Yes, he was still Gabriel Duncan, the poster boy for any family but the Duncans, and yes he was still a thirteen years old, but after that first day of school, after realizing he wasn't wanted, he became new. Newer. Different. He wasn't happy go lucky.

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><p>In other part of the square state, specifically, Manitou Springs, a brunette little girl awoke to the sound of yelling, coming from the general master bedroom area, for maybe the fourth time this week. She got out of her pink polka-dot bed, and subconsciously grimaced when she heard the sound of glass crashing to the floor, but continued. She opened her door just a crack to check in case her father or mother were out there, then snuck across the hallway, opened her brother's door, and entered his room, as she had for most nights now that fighting started. In the beginning she had scared him when she came in, but now David knew that it was just his big sister who was coming in his room. She took a heavy breath before she closed the door before feeling the wall for a light switch. Then she listened for more yelling. All things seemed quiet.<p>

Just when it seemed to stop, the yelling and screaming, the fighting and the crashing of objects that were glass and breakable and she thought she could leave, it decided to start again. "David?"

"I just want them to stop. It's always like this now. I can't think a time when things were better." David called from his race car bed. It was a gift from their father, before their parents use to fight, maybe a year ago. Their mother didn't approve, but David and their father had loved it, and David had slept soundly the first night he had it. Mom was so proud the next morning, she decided they could keep it. However, the next month, things started to happen.

"I know, David." Emily sat at the edge of the bed of four year old David, and sigh inwardly, feeling older than six-going-on-seven. Though she knew that her mother and father didn't mean it, they now battled over words almost every single day, something more than one, sometimes of the stupidest of things. She felt helpless; it use to be just a small thing, fighting over what to eat, who goes out, where they go. She stroked David's hair, mahogany brown, that matched his eyes, and made his features all the more cute. "I know. I want it to stop too."

Suddenly, they heard the door of their parents room slammed against the door frame, which was loud and scary. They could hear everything going on just outside of the room; Courtney, their mother, screaming Jordan, their father, to get his ass back in the room and to talk to her. Jordan yelling like hell he would, and then him opening the front door and leaving the house. The sound of police sirens and the smell of midnight air made Emily shiver, and falter, but she smiled at David. Still, it couldn't mask her horror when their mother stood right outside the screen door and shouted in her loudest voice "Jordan Elliot Levenger, you get your ass back her and talk to me right this second! I know you can hear me. Get back here!"

They knew their father came back to their mother because in the next five seconds, they heard him shouting at her, "You want me back? You got me back! You wanna be a bitch? Well, I don't care about you! I could care less. In fact, I want you to burn in hell!"

"Don't you dare talk to me like that!"

"I can talk to you any way I want!"

"No you can't." A sick, loud, sound of skin hitting skin made Emily pause. This was it. This was what she feared.

Emily pulled back the comforter that cover David and said in a quiet urgent voice, "Get in the closet David." She nearly pushed him off the bed, and shoved him in the closet. This was the part that Emily hated the most. She was always weary of this part; the physical part. She was six, but she still understood. Life was scary.

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><p>Gabriel woke from his soft slumber. He couldn't place why, or how, but he awoke and was instantly alerted by some earthy mitochondrial force in his world. He knew not what was wrong, but he knew that something, somewhere was wrong, and he couldn't fix it. But he was most certainly going to try, starting now.<p>

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><p><strong>So, was it good? Hated it? Whatever? Well, review it anyway, and I'll get to it as soon as I'm not too depressed. <strong>


	4. Chapter 4

**Edit (5-26-13): If you're reading this, I'm terribly sorry.**

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><p>"Not only are fish the subject of ever-expanding research by ichthyologists, but they are also incite the interest and whet the imagination of students and the general public, for whom a fascinating glimpse into the extraordinary world of fish is provided in aquariums all over the world..."<p>

Gabriel Duncan wasn't paying attention to the current video about fish. Psh, why the hell were they even watching a video about fish? It's not as if Gabe would grow up and become a ichthyologisht, or anything like that. He was sitting a his table, shared with by a boy named Jason, who was a quiet, hard worker, but he always back-talked the teachers, and a girl named Anna who wasn't quiet, but very shy. They were both watching intently, while Gabe sat there, looking out at everyone. This was the problem with him. Everyone else seemed to always be interested in what was being shown, whereas Gabe would take time to look out at his classmates and study them. Is this what a psychologist did? Right now, everything was calm and peaceful. A handful of students were drawing idly on a piece of paper, or their binders, or their folders, and others leaning back in their chair, rebels. No one was stirring beyond getting more comfortable, or taking a deep breath and sigh. Only Gabe new of the mass destruction that could be caused by the littlest mistake; the littlest change in the game play.

"Swimming, wriggling, crawling, floating in the waters that cover about 75 percent of our world is an immense population of animals whose full extent we scarcely realize..." All that Gabe heard from this was, 'Swimming... Water... 75 percent... Animal shoes fill a tent...' Although the last one could have been heard wrong, he didn't care enough to figure out what it was that the man was truly trying to say. In the background of the video was a few ugly looking fish, that seemed to capture the interest of his peers. "Fish swarm this planet in millions upon millions, breeding, growing, living, dying, in everything from puddles, to ponds, to the great oceans." Cross Marine Biologist off the list of career paths. Any more time in this class, and Gabe would die.

Sometime later-not that long to the others, but a lifetime to Gabe-the video got to it's point. Then the credits rolled to some funky muzak, and Gabe looked up just in time to see the lights flicker back on. Most of the students groaned when this happen, eyes adjusted to the dim light in the room, just moments ago. Mr. Cartee turned to look at the class, who were still stretching and yawning.

"Okay, Classay, today I am going to hand out-" Suddenly the room was full of loud groans for the unexpected, but still, totally expected class assignment. "Oh, so all you people don't want these extra fancy, super cool, field trip papers? Okay..." and then the room was filled with, 'What, who said that,' and 'I want one.' Just like that, the balance was fixed, and life for these people was normal.

Gabe got to look at his paper before anyone else, because Anna started with them, and passed them around the room starting with Gabe. It read, 'Dear Parents and Guardians, The year has so far been built upon learning and now we want your child to have a look at life outside the school. On October 10, we will be taking an overnight field trip to the Denver Downtown Aquarium.' Blah, blah, blah, yak, yak, yak, and a few more lines, and it was over. Bus would leave at 8 in the morning and be back to school at 9 the next morning. Food would be provided. No flash photography allowed. Positions for Parents. So that's why the hell they were watching a video on fish.

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><p>"No." It was the first word out of Amy's mouth. It was the first word that made Gabe mad. It was the first word.<p>

"Why not?" Gabe asked, utterly confused by Amy's lacking in letting him go on a stupid field trip to the aquarium. "Why are you making such a big deal out of this?"

"Because, I don't want you to go to the aquarium, and what I say goes!" Amy was starting to raise her voice, which was never a good sign. Ever. And now the two of them, in a raging battle, were standing in the beginning of the doorway, Gabe closer to the couch, Amy closer to the door.

"That just a stupid reason and you know it." He growled as she folded her arms across her chest as a defense.

"I will not be spoken to like that."

Gabe had enough at this point. Enough lying. Enough pretending. He couldn't take it anymore. The pain he held, knowing the truth was just too much for him to handle. So he exploded. "No, I won't be spoken to like this!" He started, his voice booming through out the entire house, drawing all of the rest of the members of the house to come out from the kitchen and look at the scene that was unfolding in front of them. He knew he shouldn't be talking like what he was about to say in front of Charlie, but he did anyway. "I am sick and tired of your games! I can't take it anymore, the crap you feed me everyday! I couldn't believe it at first, but know I can. Hell, why should I care? Because I do, that's why. Yes I know I'm adopted! Yes, I know that I am not really your kid! And yes, I know who my mother is! So just leave me alone! Leave the the alone, because I'm done here. I'm done here." That felt good. And then it was quite. Mrs. Dabney was probably calling the cops as they didn't speak, and probably telling them a horrible murder had just taken place next door.

Everyone was looking at Gabe. Amy in shock, Bob in horror, Charlie in confusion, and Teddy in awe. No one looked angry, but give it sometime. 5, 4, 3, 2, 1... and Gabe bounded up the stairs so fast that no one even noticed that he had used the couch for leverage to get up the stairs before the invisible demons could get at him. He slammed the door shut, and then pulled his chair to the door, leaning it against it, and locking it from potential persons that want to get in. Gabe knew that this was bad, it was very, very bad.

He began to compile things in an old backpack; two days worth of clothes, his homework and permission slip-that caused this mess in the first place-a flashlight, his extra food, a bottle of water, and a hat. Then he piled a bunch of stuff in front of his door and made a lump of himself in the bed using pillows. Step one was complete.

Gabe took out his almost never used cell phone. Most kids die of Texttious when they get their first phone, but not Gabe. In fact he seemed little interested in anything having to do with that phone, probably because it was purchased after the fact at matter here. He got up off his bed and started to play his music, so the people downstairs wouldn't hear him, but he could just fine. It laid in his hands, new and shiny, just begging for Gabe to use it. And he did. The number was Speed Dial 2, an easy button to press. It took Gabe a few seconds to press it though, and no matter how hard he tried, pressing that button would never be easy. Ever.

It rang once, twice, three times, and Gabe was starting to get anxious. It wasn't until the fifth ring that someone finally picked up the phone. A gruff 'hello' was what Gabe got. His voice had dropped a few octives since the last time they spoke. "PJ?"

Silence was cast over the phone, and for a second, Gabe thought that he had gotten hung up on. But he hadn't. "Hmm, loud music, a call in the middle of the day from a brother who had said that he hated me, and chicken... so what happened?" It wasn't wondered why they were brothers, real or not. They both knew each other so well, they could pick up distress on the phone. Now that was pretty impressive, for some kid.

"Look, I don't want to talk about it, but I kinda have to... so okay. Me and Amy... I mean Mom, we got into this really bad row, and I started screaming and cussing, and I ran up stairs."

"Okay. So, this story involves me how?"

"Look, I know that... That we both said somethings that we didn't mean... okay, that came out totally wrong, forget it. You know, forget I called."

"What do you need?"

"To get the hell out of this house."

"That's the spirit kid! Okay, so, remember the run away plan of '06? Okay, so our money is still hidden in the wall panel behind your bed."

"It is?" And, oddly enough, when Gabe reopened the wall, there was still the money jar. "Wow, it is."

"So your going to leave the house. I suggest the window, it's the fastest way out of the house without going downstairs. And if you go directly to the left once you get down, you won't be seen by anyone who looks out the window. You walk the four blocks to the bus station like I showed, and look for Marion. She's an... well, ex-girlfriend, and you just have to tell her that your PJ's brother and you want to go see him. Pay her, and she'll get you on the bus without any recollection. Your going to be going indirectly to Dinosaur. You know where that is, right?"

"Yeah, Moffet county. We visited there on a vacation once, remember?"

"Oh, yeah, I remember. Why do you think I chose this place? Anyway, are you ready to write things down?" Gabe scrambled for a piece of paper and a pencil. "Okay. You'll get on the I-70, and you'll be going west. You'll stop in Steamboat Springs, an you get out and get something to eat, if you have to. Catch the bus going to Craig. From there it'll only be about and hour and a half. So, you should be here from around nine to ten. Got that?"

Gabe took it in for a minute. "I-70 west. Steamboat Springs, if I'm hungry, Craig, then you... how will I know it's you?"

PJ chuckled. "I still look the same. I'll meet you by the men's room. If anyone asks, your mother is sending you to see your father. She's a cougar."

"Uh... Gotcha. Do we have to meet... by the bathrooms?"

"Do you wanna meet under a bus?"

"Okay, nevermind. Then... I'll see you soon?"

"Yeah. Now go catch that bus! Oh, and word of advice, leave now, without a note. They'll know it was me that inspired you."

"Bye PJ." And he click off. That was a lot of information to talk in. Marion. He had to go get Marion.

Taking his backpack off the bed, Gabe sighed. It was true, this was the home that he grew up in, it was all he knew, sure. But he was ready, finally, for something more. Subconsciously, Gabriel Duncan knew this. He knew that he had outgrown his life as a Duncan. He knew that even though the people downstairs claimed to love him, they didn't. Not really. All this he knew, had always know, really, and it was time to face it. Not that he wanted to say it, but it was a bit scary.

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><p>Marion Lewis was a bored looking girl. She was hot, from Gabe's point of view, yes, but her life would never take her anywhere, which was unfortunate. She would grow up, get married, live in a house, have a kid or two, get divorced, then drink herself to death, or pole dance for money, or become an escort and get herself killed. Not that it had to happen that way, but nine times out of ten, it did.<p>

Gabe couldn't speak. He was stunned. She was wearing a uniform, yes, but Gabriel still was amazed. His tongue was nastily tied in a pretty little bow, and he could feel the sweat rolling down the nape of his neck, even though it was rather cool outside. "Can I help you?" Marion said without looking up from doing her nails. She was chewing gum.

"I-" he squeaked. What was he doing? Gabriel Duncan doesn't squeak. He shouts. Demands. But Marion was on top of things before he had the chance to change the game. It was actually a bit stunning.

"Look kid, it's nice of you to look me up, or stalk me, or whatever you did, but, like I just said, you are a little kid. I have a boyfriend, and I have better things to do than wait for you to ask me out on a date. So you can scurry along like a nice little boy, and go play with those Tonka trucks. That's what kids your age do, right?" Suddenly, Marion didn't look so hot anymore, and so Gabe took in a deep breath and decided to get it over with.

"I'm PJ Duncan's brother." He said simply.

"Oh?"

"Yeah. And I need to see time, without... 'recollection' on your part."

"You wanna go see him?" she asked, suddenly aware of all of the people within earshot. She made sure to make things look as if a normal transaction, taking the money, giving a ticket, and telling him where to wait. And he had almost made it, too, when a cop pulled up next to him. Gabe was sitting on a bench, backpack hidden, just starring off into space, when the bus pulled up and he noticed it.

Being on the bus was a bit different than he expected. He'd been on buses before, but now, he realized that he really was leaving, and Gabe felt bad. Really bad. This was going to be a very, very long bus ride to Dinosaur.

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><p><strong>Love it? Hate it? Anyway, see you guys next Monday after this one... And if you give me a review I will hug you. And buy you cookies. And ice cream. Mhmmm... Ice cream. Review!<strong>


	5. Chapter 5

**Yay! I got my class scheldule today! Only five more days till school, can't wait! Hugs, and Love and Ice Cream for all reviewers, cause I'm really happy now! I could cry! So you want to see me cry? Thank you for all being so kind as to let me catch up to you guy reading, I think Friday's would be a go update date, what do you think? Or shall I keep it to Mondays...**  
><strong>Anyway, this is more a Amy chapter than a Gabe chapter, but Gabe still makes an appearance. I have spell checked this baby like 4 times, and don't be rude, I spell Jerimiah like that, not Jeremiah. Personally, it sounds and looks better Jeri. Well, I need to quit the rambling on and on and on... So enjoy the story...<strong>

**Okay, quick note. This story is a lot darker than the ones I usually write because of the murder thing... and the other stuff. Just saying, you have been warned.**

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><p>Tears streaming from her eyes since yesterday, unstoppable, not even in front of complete strangers. Or people she somewhat knew. Or her family, what was left of her family, anyway. Here, where she had ended up-not where she was at the moment- she just couldn't understand, how this could happen. What was it? Was she a bad person? A bad mother? A bad care giver? She had done bad things in her life, before, seen bad things, heard bad things. But she didn't know that it could make her such a bad person to lose her two little boys.<p>

Amy Duncan, as she was, sat in a chair, next to the desk of one Jerimiah Gilbert, who had been at his desk just a moment ago, was dressed in a button up shirt, tie, and pants. He was the first person assigned to her, the first person to actually talk to her, and to actually be nice. And now he was coming back. "Mrs. Duncan? This is Leah McClain, she be take the case along with me, can you tell us what happened?"

Amy was silent, letting the tears flood, falling down her face at a rapid rate. Surely, at this, the whole precinct would be filled. How many other women, and men had sat here before her, and cried their eyes out to total strangers. Had thought that their tears would fill the room, and the entire building? "Yes. It was yesterday..."

_Gabe was sitting in the passenger side of the front seat. He looked happy enough, considering that these past few weeks he had seemed a little out of it. As if life wasn't as good as it was. Still, she was worried about him. This mood was good for him, but she was so unsure now a days. "You seem happy. Anything happen at school?"_

_"Not really." He was quiet for a moment, before he continued to tell his story, and then fished out his slip. "My Science class is going to the aquarium. The one down town. I want to go, but without anyone. By myself, it'll be fun. "He asked as Amy pulled the car in the driveway, and got out. She was already half way to the house by the time Gabe had stuffed the paper in his backpack, and ran to catch up to her. "So what do you say? Can I go?" _

_Amy looked at him, and saw his face, full of hope. It was hard to tell him, hard to destroy his mood, but she had to do it. "No." She said weakly. And she could tell he was mad. _

_"Why? Why are you making such a big deal out of this?" He asked, when really it wasn't a real big deal. Her first word on this topic, and she was apparently making a big deal about this. Amy didn't think so. _

_"Because, I don't want you to go to the aquarium, and what I say goes." Two could play at that game. _

_"That's just a stupid reason, and you know it."_

_"I will not be spoken to like that." Now, she was getting mad. He had NEVER spoken to her like this before. What were they teaching him in Jr. High?_

_And then it started. Just like that, her littlest boy had snapped into a man. And boy did he show it. "No, I won't be spoken to like this! I am fucking sick and tired of your fucking games! I can't take it anymore, the crap you feed me everyday! I couldn't believe it at first, but now I can. Hell, why should I fucking care? Because I do, that's why. Yes I know I'm adopted! Yes, I know that I am not really your kid! And yes, I know who my mother is! So just leave me alone! Leave me the fuck alone, because I'm done here. I'm fucking done here." Amy was sure that Mrs. Dabney was calling the cops now. _

_She looked at Gabe. Bob, Teddy, even Charlie were looking at Gabe. She could she the shock written on their faces, and on her's as well. Then, Gabe ran upstairs, and slammed his door. What had just happened? "Wow, I didn't even know that Gabe knew the F word. Did you?" Teddy had asked to subside the tension. _

_"Teddy take Charlie out somewhere. Anywhere." Bob had said after a few seconds worth of starring a Amy's face. _

_"But I wanna be here..." the rest of the words that were in that sentence died right then and there, when she saw the way Bob was looking at her. "Okay." She said, before gathering Charlie, and walking out the door without a second thought. Amy wasn't worried about Teddy, she could hold her own. _

_When Teddy was out the door, Amy could hold it in no longer. She burst into tears, something she hadn't done since Teddy was a baby, and they couldn't get her to shut up for three nights straight. She would just cry and cry, and wouldn't stop, no matter what they did. Bob was confused, to say the least. He didn't know what to do, to comfort, or to back away, and give her some space. Of course, they had to talk at some point. Then they heard the music start playing. _

_"Do you wanna talk about it?" Bob asked her._

_"No."_

Both Jerimiah and Leah were quiet. That fact that they had heard first hand what went on at their house had made both of them a little twitchy, as if it was none of their business. But they were cops, and if every case made them feel like that, then they weren't cut out for the job. "Uh, so why didn't you want Gabe to go to the aquarium." Leah asked, after the moment of silence.

Amy looked at her, and sighed, with a look on her face that screamed understanding. "I'm guessing 15 years ago, you guys were still at the academy?"

Leah nodded, but Jerimiah didn't. He looked at his captain, an older man, who could still hold himself to be, well, captain, and motioned him to come over. "I wasn't" Jerimiah said. He continued with his side of the story. "It was the Blake Philips case, wasn't it?" Amy stiffened at this, but nodded anyway. "I was here in '98, came here after a rough time in Baltimore my first year, so George Stine, he was the captain, suggest I go somewhere less pushing. I ended up here, because my lungs could use the air. It was a few months after the case. Nobody had told me about it, figuring I was a rookie, they wouldn't bother me. My old partner let it slip one day, and I looked up the case file. Blake Philips, 12 year old , white male, was at a school field trip to the aquarium. He was lured out to the back by a employee, and taken. His body was found in a ditch one night in California, off the side of a major highway. Signs of sexual abuse were found. He..." Jerimiah stopped talking, to look down at Amy. She was crying, but he couldn't tell if it was because of the Blake case, or her son. She nodded to continue, as if she had heard the story may times before. "...He was assaulted, and he was battered. Then he was sexually assaulted. He was prisoner to that-" his voice broke, "man, for a month, and we couldn't find him."

Amy took a deep breath. Leah stood there looking like she had just seen a ghost and it had punched her in the face. She shouldn't be acting like this in front of the victim. She shouldn't be acting like this at all. Captain Locke stood at attention behind Amy, thinking over the memory of the case, remembering the most bone chilling facts. Amy decided to talk then, because it would only make the pain worse if she didn't. "Yes. Blake's mother was a... friend of mine. She had been my best friend when I was a freshmen in high school. She had gotten pregnant with Blake after our summer after our first year. Slowly we slipped farther and farther, because my parents didn't want that kind of influence." Amy was reminded of the thoughts of her high school, how cruel people could be. "I graduated high school, got my medical degree, and met Bob, and we got married, and came here. A few years later, I was shopping a store, and I saw her. Teresa was her name. Blake babysat for PJ a few times, and then... well, you heard that story. After Blake, she just... lost it. I would have too if my son had... died. I would come over to her house and she would seem fine, but I knew she was bottling it up... then before I knew it, she had commit suicide. I was ashamed, then, for leaving her in high school, and for not knowing that she would do something so... drastic." Amy finished, and now Leah looked like she had seen, got punched by, a ghost, who turned out to be her mother. Tears threatened to fall fast, and her eyes burned.

"So, did you ever catch h-him?" Leah gulped back the tears, and spoke, with minimal voice cracks.

"Damn right we caught him. Michael Lee Hairo, of Stanislaus County, California. He had been charged with robbery and assault, but used a fake ID and Birth Certificate to get a job at the aquarium. Next thing, he got to Blake. We tried, we really did, but he got another little boy too. His name was-"

"Jake Sanders of Tuba City, Arizona. Traveling with his mother and father, got taken from the pool, while his parents were arguing. He got dumped in the same stretch of road on highway 132." the captain suddenly answered for Jerimiah. He knew that case like a book he had read a million times, knew every last detail like the back of his hand.

"Yeah. Caught the guy though. Found him in Florida, and he's serving 30 to life without parole." Jerimiah ended.

The four of them were extremely silent, and it seemed like the world had stopped. But it hadn't. The squad room was still very active, and it brought Jerimiah back to Earth first. Then the Captain, and Leah, and finally Amy. It was an emotional case, but they had to solve this one laid in front of them. "Mrs. Duncan, how did you find out Gabe was missing?" And Amy was pitching the second strike.

_She didn't have to wake up, because she had been up all night. Amy found it hard to sleep with Gabe in the house, after the events of this afternoon, and him not coming down for dinner, even though Bob was sound asleep, right next to her. She knew that Teddy was now asleep, even thought half way through the night, she came down to sit in the kitchen and found Teddy down there, drinking hot chocolate, and contemplating the day she had had. Not when Amy came in did she look up, of when Amy made a cup of hot chocolate, and not even when she sat down next to her. In two minutes, Teddy had come back to reality, and stated to her mother in the calmest voice she could manage, "Mom... we should go to bed. I'll go if you go. Okay?" _

_And just like that she was in her bed, but sleep never came knocking on her door. Instead, doubt... It was hard raising a 13 year old boy who knew he was adopted, and knew he had be lied to his whole life. But she was going to try, and she'd be damned if she didn't. Nothing had changed, Gabe was still her boy, her little man, the black hair beauty of her life that made her proud to be his mother. Even if he wasn't really her, she didn't care. He would still be her boy. _

_Breakfast was started a six o'clock sharp, even though no one would be up for at least another hour. Amy couldn't help it, besides it kept her mind at work, and her body at work, making sure she wouldn't have to think. She ate by herself, but couldn't stomach eating more than plain, burnt, toast. Teddy was up first, and then Charlie, and then Bob... they all stared at each other as if they had never seen one another before, and didn't know what to do. And it was true. Bob looked so much older for the first time in his life, and he was actually serious. And Teddy looked older too. As if she was ready to start a life that was forced upon her. Like she was going to do this 'thing' whatever it was without backing down. Even Charlie, three years old, looked different. _

_None of them could eat much of anything, except for Charlie, who hardly knew the tip of the ice burg. But in the middle of breakfast, Charlie looked at everybody, then said, in a small voice, "Why is everyone sad?"_

_"We aren't sad, Charlie... Things are just hard." Amy told her daughter, trying to keep from crying. _

_"What things?" Charlie, the curious one, asked._

_"Things with your brother."_

_"Why?" _

_Amy couldn't answer that one truthfully. Hell, she could hardly answer the other questions that weren't even that much about Gabe. Luckily for Amy, Teddy stepped in, just in time too. A few more seconds and the waterworks would start. "Gabe is in a hard time right now. He can't understand." Teddy told Charlie, unaware of how much Charlie could actually understand this. _

_"Okay. Can we go see Gabby?"_

_Together, they all went up to Gabe's room, without even thinking about it. They all knew that when the door opened, they would accept Gabe as their own, just as she should be, just as he always was. Bob put his hand on the door knob, then twisted it. It was jammed. He tried three more times before he pounded on the door. "Gabe? Gabriel Duncan, you open up this door right this second." Bob said, in a somewhat calm voice. "We just wanna talk, we aren't going to punish you." No replied. _

_"That's it." Bob said, anger rushing through him. He turned the knob and slammed his shoulder into the door, while the girls looked confused. What wouldn't Gabe just open his door? By the sixth attempt, the door practically came off it's hinges, and Bob was able to look inside. A pile of crap laid at the door, a broken chair in pieces, and the window open. But no Gabriel. It wasn't funny, and it couldn't be real. First PJ, now Gabe. _

"What do you mean fist PJ?" Leah asked. Apparently she was very oblivious to the Duncan family.

Jerimiah cleared his throat, but Amy smile. "No, it's okay, I can- I should tell her." It was the bottom of then ninth, two outs, the bases loaded, and Amy Duncan was standing at the pitchers mound. The crowd was silent, the city, it was silent, the whole world was silent. Here the pitch.

"My first child, my son, he ended up running away from us, my family and me... in the end. I suppose he just didn't want to be apart of our family anymore, because he sure acted like he didn't. He didn't want to go to college-we always had dreams he would go to college, no matter which one it was-and he hardly finished high school. Then one day he had enough, and I guess we did too, because he warn us he was leaving, and we didn't even try and stop us. None of us. That day was hard for us... he was only 17 at the time, but he turn 18 a few months ago, and well, I know you can't do that much... Still, I know he's okay, all my kids can hold their own." Did you see that! Did you see it? Amazing, probably the best play in history.

It was the thought that changed the whole investigation. An hour and a half into the case, and here it was. The question that could make or break it. "Is there a possibility that, where you can find PJ, you can find Gabe?" Leah asked after a moment.

"You know-" Amy started, but stopped immediately. Of course, it was so simple. How could she have not noticed, figured that would be where he is. "Oh my God." Amy whispered.

"I'll take that as a yes," Jerimiah stated, calling over to Tommy Greens, who immediately got to snooping around. One thing Greens did best was snoop, snoop other people's business. That's what made him one hell of a detective. That's what made him Gabriel Duncan's finder.

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><p><strong>I don't know the next time I'll update, because school is starting, so I'll try it soon.<strong>


	6. Chapter 6

**Hiya. I've been really, really super busy. School just started last Wednesday, and I already am tired. First thing Wednesday morning, they changed my schedule. Then they changed it again Monday. I already have a project, and I've had homework in every class so far. Except my elective. I also have seventh period PE. That fucking sucks, man. And my boyfriend won't leave me alone. There is a point where I get tired of him with me constantly. **

**Anyway, here is the latest chapter of Bleeding Red. I don't have ANYTHING else written for this story, and I'm really stressing out there. You guys read this, and have a good time, because the next update will also be sporadic.**

**A/N: Have you ever seen that Subaru commercial? The one where it's that high school reunion, and the guy sees the girl. That song is stuck in my head. **

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><p>Gabriel awoke on the couch of a strange house, clad in boxers, socks, and a t-shirt. It took him a second to realize where he was, and when he finally did, he groaned, and shut his eyes, throwing his head back, and hitting the arm of the couch. "Ow, crap." He brought his head up and rubbed it, then got out of his makeshift bed. Looking around for pants, he pulled on the ones he was wearing yesterday, and looked at the house. It was rather large, or larger than he had expected. There was a small TV, and an entertainment center, and a couch with a side table. On the wall was a picture of PJ, Teddy, him, Charlie, Amy, and Bob in a field, with the last rays of sunlight in the background and a million people-some in blue caps and gowns, much like PJ-in the picture. There was also a separate picture of each of the siblings, and one of some of his friends, along with his diploma on the entertainment center. There was a lamp, and then an unfinished bottle of Asahi beer on a coaster. 'Who would have pictured PJ using a coaster?'<p>

Gabe made to reach for the beer, and he almost made it too, until he heard a voice from around the corner. "I wouldn't drink it. It's Japanese beer, and it has a kick to it. " PJ crossed his arms, and leaned against the hallway wall.

"Oh. Well then..." Gabe said stupidly, nodding his head. "It's a nice place you got here. Amy... Mom and Dad would be proud PJ."

No hesitation came from PJ, and he quickly stated, "I know."

Gabe cleared his throat. "So what do you do in Dinosaur?" Gabe asked causally, gulping. This was weirder than it should be, this was his brother. Well, as close to his brother as anyone can get.

"Work, eat. You wanna go get some lunch?" PJ asked Gabe, wearily, smiling anyway.

Gabe looked confused. "Lunch? What happened to breakfast?"

"You slept through breakfast."

"Oh."

"Let us go then." And PJ headed for the door. He opened it, and let Gabe go through first, then closed it and locked it. Then he turned around, and started to walk down to the sidewalk. This even more so confused the already confused Gabe.

"Where are you going PJ?"

"To lunch. You coming?" PJ just turned around and continued walking, not even waiting for Gabe to make up his mind. When he heard Gabe was finally in earshot, PJ commented, "And, I go by Peter now. Weird huh?"

So, now, Gabe came to Dinosaur, and was following 'Peter' around town, just to go to lunch, that Gabe had no money to pay for. Not that he minded much. No, he liked it here. He didn't mind at all. Not anymore, anyway.

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><p>David was in a place-he didn't know where- and was sitting with a lady he didn't know, looking at a picture book that he didn't care for, and was too easy for him anyway, even if he was only four. The lady he was put with had a darker skin tone, and she was just as friendly as anyone else he had ever met. She was talking to another woman, mentioning the name David, and sometimes Emily, so he could only presume that they were talking about him. He wished they wouldn't do that.<p>

After a while, David got bored, and put the book on the chair next to him. He focused on the conversation at hand, between the ladies next to him, without it looking to obvious. The one he sat next to spoke next. "Are you sure it wasn't his mother, too. I don't want to send him back to... what happened."

The other lady was leaning down next to this first lady. She was skinner, and blond, probably younger than his mother, and a bit of cheer was written on her face. "Yes, I am sure, police found her pulling their father away from the little girl. David may go back to his mother."

It took a really long time for the first lady to say anything in return, but the blond one was patient, and waited kindly, glancing at David every once in a while. She always had a smile plastered on her face, so David would smile back nicely, but still, there was one thing on his mind. He wanted to ask, but at that moment, the first lady spoke. "Okay, let's go." To David, "Hey, kiddo, we're going to get going." and she offered a hand.

"No, thank you." He had better ask before he lost his nerve. "Where's my sister?"

Both of the women wore different expressions, and sometimes he would see them on his mother's face. The first lady wore an old expression, one that looked like a cross between anger and sadness, and something else. The blond lady looked surprised, as if his question was out of the ordinary. At that point, David knew that something bad must have followed that events of the night before last. He also knew that there was something wrong with his sister. "She isn't okay." It was a statement, not a question.

"No, kiddo, she's not." The first lady was talking to him. Finally.

He hadn't dared to move from his seat, but he turned his body around so that he was facing the ladies. He put on an expressionless face, and told his story, the side that was hardly heard. "I wanna tell you something. My dad... he did some bad stuff. I guess that's why I'm here right? My sister, she tried to help me, to protect me, but she couldn't do it all by herself. I got hurt," he lifted his shirt sleeve to reveal a bruise the size of an adult fist. "But Emily... I want her to be okay. So you have to take me to her. So I can tell her I'm sorry." Both the women look at each other, and the first one, started to talk.

"You know, it's not your fault. Things like this happen sometimes, but it's never your fault." she said, smiling sadly, and David finally understood.

"I still have to tell her I'm sorry."

"You will."

"Okay." He got up and stretch, then followed the ladies outside.

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><p>They had sat at a booth in the corner of the small diner, where everything was quiet. The music was humming about, carefree, and the people inside were talking quietly too, so you could hear it, but not make out any specific words. Like in English class. The waiter, who was as blad as he was friendly, asked for their drinks, then left them alone. Seconds ticked by, and then Gabe spoke, "Peter, huh? Where'd you get that one?"<p>

PJ-because to Gabe, 'Peter' will always be PJ-cracked a small smile. "Just a friend. He's... professional. Like, won't go out for drinks after work professional."

"Note taken. Hey, where'd you get a job anyway?"

"It's just a small office up in town a bit more. I sweep up, and run errands. I'm like the little boy their training.'

There was more silence, but it was broken faster than usual. " So, are you ever going to tell me why your here? Not that I don't love you here, but why? I mean, Mom and Dad are probably at the police station looking for you. Worried. So why are you here?"

For more than a second, Gabe considered not saying anything, and just walking out, then and there. But he didn't. "I'll tell you the whole story... The truthful story. But I don't want to be interrupted. That's just how it is going to be." The waiter came back with drinks and asked for their orders. When he was gone, Gabe started his story. "I'm kinda adopted. Well, I am adopted. I was born to Courtney Santiago, one resident of Manitou Springs. Amy and Bob are your parents, not mine. And I've known for a little while. I asked for Teddy's help, and she found out that I have a half sister and brother. He's half too. I'm guessing. Anyway, Amy and Bob didn't knew I've known until yesterday when I screamed at them. And now I'm here."

PJ said nothing.

"What? Not going to talk to me now, cause I'm not your real brother?" Gabe teased.

"No, it's just, isn't it a bit obvious? I mean, you never really connected with Mom and Dad, and I mean, come on, look at your hair." Gabe shook his head, and PJ did too. The man came back with their food. "Plus I kinda already knew. How did you think I was when you were born? Four? And I went through the boxes when I was your age too. Found some pretty interesting stuff, too. Mom knew a dead kid. Before he was dead."

"What? Well why didn't you ever tell me you knew I was adopted?"

"Because it wasn't my place to tell you." PJ didn't think Gabe would skip over the dead kid, but he did.

It was simple from then on, to talk, and the silence that fell was comfortable, when it fell. Which wasn't often.

They left the diner after the check came, and PJ paid for the entire thing. Gabe didn't understand, now that they weren't really brothers, PJ should tell time to pay his own damn bill. But he didn't. They walked back to the house, and halfway back, Gabe asked him, "Why did you pay the check? I'm not really your brother, so why'd you pay?"

PJ thought long and hard about what he was going to say. At one point, Gabe gave up getting an answer from him, and was surprised when he was given one. "It's not that blood and DNA and stuff that makes you a brother. Being a brother is the other stuff. Going to games, sneaking out, doing the fun stuff. Being the father when your father can't be a father. Teaching each other the importance of brotherhood and having each other's backs. Doing stuff that totally pisses one another off, but not really minding that much when we have a good reason, or at all. Seeing a girl and being wing man. Being brothers doesn't mean your related through blood-well it does, but that isn't real brotherhood-being brothers means doing all that stuff just because you can, and not because you have to, or someone tells you to do it. Of course you're my brother. And I'm your brother. That'll never change, no matter who your mom is." PJ didn't speak the whole rest of the way home.

Then PJ stopped short, and looked wide-eyed at the scene in front of him. 5 police cars, all lined up in the street, surrounding PJ's house. Of course Gabe didn't see it, not until it was too late. "Time to face the music little bro." And they walked to the scene. It didn't matter that they were going to be separated, not now, because they were brothers and brothers had each others back's. That's what brothers were for, right?

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><p>David almost wasn't allowed to see his sister. But after the first lady, who he'd learned was named Patty, and the second lady, whose name was Razza, almost made a big scene, he was lead to a room by a nurse who scowled him greatly, where everything turned out to be- not at all shockingly-white. There were two beds, and the one closest to the window was the only occupied one. A woman, who David was pretty sure was his mother, was sitting at the bedside, and was sobbing. Yes, that was his mother. He hated to say it, but that was his mother.<p>

He walked over quietly, standing behind his mother so that she couldn't see him, but David could see Emily. And what he saw... well no movie ever prepared him for this. His sister, the one that would sneak into his room and tell him everything was all right when it really wasn't, his only sister, the strong willed girl she was, was laying in a bed, with her eyes closed, and bruises everywhere. Cuts and scratches lined her face, blood still fresh from that night. She had so many bruises, that it was hard to see any place that wasn't colored more that supposed to be. There was a bandaged wrapped around her head, like in the movies and cartoons, that everyone thinks are fake, but are real. Her right arm was in a blue cast, and her left arm, was, unsurprisingly just like her face. Stitches followed scratches. All in all, it was terrible. David couldn't believe what he was seeing. His big strong protector, was now, so small. His father, the man he had looked up to for years, made him sick.

His heart ached, and he walked over to his mother. She easily knew it was him, without really thinking about it, mother's intuition, and pulled him into a weak hug. She cried on his shoulder, and she just kept crying and crying. But as much as David wanted to cry, to burst out into tears, and tell someone that they needed to make his sister better, as much as he thought that he should cry, he knew he had to be strong. For Emily, and for his mom. Because, really, what would their family be with a child who couldn't hold his own?

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><p><strong>I suppose my theme is, 'holding their own.' Am I right? So, did ya love it? Did you hate it? Hugs for all who review. Please? Ah, yeah, this is powerful stuff. <strong>


	7. Chapter 7

**So guys, while it has been a great honor typing up this story for you, I do have to quit. Yeah, I know, I'm going out with a bang with so many loose ends, but I prefer it that way. You can tie up the ends in your mind. And while, undecided yet, I might do a sequel about this, I might not. It just depends how I feel. I will, however be doing something small about David over on Fiction Press, so be on the look out for that. I'll show it up in my Profile in about five or six days. Anyway, have fun with this last little bit. **

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><p>It's dark, as it always is. It's quiet, just as it always is. Nobody is around, in the house, or outside, from what is visible. Nobody is going to stop anything started. What little moon light there is reflects off the sharp metal blade as it sits on a desk. Around it, papers lay scattered, pens and pencils, and other things popping up occasionally.<p>

He wakes up; what wakes him up is unknown, but he does. He walks to the desk, not pausing, very monotone, subconsciously. He hears a noise, and turns quickly, arm dropping to his side, but then figures out it was just those damn floorboards again. He continues.

After picking up the knife, he goes back to his bed, and sits with his legs crossed. He examines it, turning it in his hand, weighing it, feeling how sharp the tip is. It begs to him, pleading for him to use it. Anywhere is fine, really. He smiles, happy to obligate.

He closes his eyes for a brief moment, and then looks back to the knife. It's sharp, and cool to the touch, and all he really wants to do is use it, draw blood, see the blood. But where? Where shall he inflict the most violent of pain, where shall he use the blade? Where should he bleed red?

Thoughts should be whirling in his head at the moment, begging him to stop, and go to bed, but they don't. Instead, a voice is screaming 'Do it, I dare you too. Be a man, and get it over with. Do it now!'

A moment later, he decides to use his leg as a means of happiness. He lifts the blade, takes a deep breath, and then, at the last moment, he backs out...

Gabriel sat straight up, sweaty, and blinked his eyes. The streetlights outside were casting an orange glow in his bedroom, and he could make out his desk. It was then, that the dream, or nightmare, had come back to him. He sighed, before laying back down. That was the fourth time this week, so basically every day except for Monday.

Gabe had, at long last, returned to his bed, in his room, with his not-so-much-but-kind-of parents. It had been a few days, a week to be exact, and it had been just as Gabe expected. All he wanted to do was get away from everybody, and all everybody wanted to do was avoid him. But, there was that small part in him that begged that someone would come and save him. He hadn't had to go to school yet, and he didn't want to. He was much happier sleeping all day, and staying far away from the people who would ask him personal questions.

However, these dreams were getting a little out of hand. Every night, somewhere in his perverse little mind, he dreamed of cutting himself, but never actually did it. He supposed he just wanted to bleed. Bleed red. And somewhere inside of him, right now, he was probably bleeding red.

He sighed once again, unable to do anything else with his anger. It was really pissing him off that he was having all these mixed feelings, and come on, not all people have to go through this. So why should he?

The first thing he felt was relief. All he wanted to do, when he had seen Amy and Bob, was crawl over to them, and beg them for forgiveness. But after the initial start of seeing them, he remember the anger of being lied to, and that made him mad. He remembered all the feelings that rushed through him, but it wasn't until Tuesday night, Wednesday morning, that he had felt something completely different. Something not to joke about. He had felt suicidal. It had scared him at first, the feelings he had had, and it had still scared him now, but he had a different view of life now.

In his dream, this was the part where he would get up from his bed and grab the knife, but now, in reality, he didn't have a knife to spare. Instead, he opened his door as quietly as possible, and walked downstairs to the kitchen.

It was quiet downstairs, and he pulled out a chair. He sat down in it, and looked at the kitchen, the walls and everything. He had missed it on his two day tour of Colorado, but he he had figured he wouldn't have to see it for another week. And now that he was back-he was relieved, sure-he had felt a little disappointment in himself. He couldn't even run away right.

He rubs his face because he has nothing better to do. He isn't hungry. He isn't even sure why he's in the damn kitchen... expect for the knife. But no, that would be wrong.

Or would it?

It would be okay if he cut himself, just this once, and never do it again. It would be okay if blood was spilt, because really, he wasn't that innocent. It would be okay, be how could things get any worse from here. So he did it.

He grabbed the biggest knife from the drawer, and headed upstairs, almost stabbing himself when he just about tripped. Gabriel Duncan was going with the grain. Gabriel Duncan was going to inflict pain. Sitting on he bed once again, he took his arm, and held it out.

This was it.

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><p><strong>Depressing isn't it? Well, considering how it ended, I just might do something else with this. Anyway, I am proud to have my loyal fanbase. If you guys have questions on why I'm no longer out there, I'll answer them. Love you all! <strong>


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